Jan's Journal

January 21, 2011

IT'S FRIDAY, MY FAVORITE DAY!!

We have had another busy week, with doctor�s appointments, attending classes and the challenge of driving into Portland with all the road closures caused by mudslides, floods and road construction.

First, an update on Dave - he went back to the neurologist on Tuesday to get the results of all his tests from the previous week. I was unable to go with him on this appointment but our daughter volunteered to go along so that he wouldn't forget any information that was given. The doctor was really surprised that Dave has progressed as far as he has, considering the damage that the MRI showed. She confided to Leslie that she didn't think he should be having much luck speaking at all and instead, he is talking much better and his reading and writing comprehension is improving. We think he dodged a bullet this time. The neurologist couldn't pinpoint what caused his stroke, as he doesn't have any blockages in his arteries and his blood pressure is normal. She hopes that the trip to the cardiologist next week can find something.

I attended my first Master Gardener class on Tuesday (that is why I missed going with Dave). We learned all about plant botany - I will never look at a plant the same again. The class started at 9:30 and we didn't get done until 4:30, which made for a very long day. A real intense course, but I am learning so much. There is a lot to learn in this 11-week course and I know that I will not be able to absorb it all. I can see why some people end up taking some of the classes twice! Our topic next week will be on soil amendment and pests. I have to dig up some soil from my garden and take it in to be tested and maybe I will learn more about some of the pests (deer and raccoons) that invade my yard from time to time.

I have caught Dave's cold and so haven't felt like doing much this week. I have even skipped going to my water aerobics classes. My sinuses are all swollen up so I have a headache and then a cough on top of that. Between Dave coughing and me coughing, we make for quite a twosome. This crud seems to be going around.

We drove into town on Thursday as Dave has a couple of games. We will stay in town most of the weekend. Dave has been invited to the Robbie Burns night at the University Club tonight. He always enjoys this as he gets to sample all kinds of Scotch and eat Haggis while listening to someone recite the poetry of Robert Burns. This will be his third year of attending this affair and as in the past, I am the designated driver so I have to drop him off and pick him up when he is ready to call it a night.

There is another Blazer broadcast on Saturday night and then we plan on watching our older granddaughters play some basketball on Sunday before we head on home. I understand the one granddaughter who makes all the goals in soccer has got some moves on the basketball court as well. I am anxious to see both my little sporties play. They keep their parents busy with basketball games every weekend and since we are in town, we will be able to catch a game.

A "give me a break" note. I have been having a lot of trouble lately trying to open some of the food packages that I buy. The instructions tell me to "pull" here or "lift" there and I can't seem to get it to do what I want and end up getting very frustrated and getting a pair of scissors out to open the darn thing. Why do they have to make things to hard to get into these days? I swear these packages could go through a hurricane and still remain in tact! Of course, there are always the crazies out there that you have to watch out for as they might "slip" something dangerous into the package. Which reminds me, do you remember the days when our sandwiches were wrapped in waxed paper instead of a zip-lock bag?